Computer technology conglomerate Oracle has taken a major step forward in its efforts to sue Google for about $1 billion over allegations of patent infringement, according to reports.
An appellate court issued a victory to Oracle last Friday when it reversed an earlier ruling that said Oracle could not copyright aspects of the Java programming language, reports say; that Java script is the grounds for an intellectual property dispute between Oracle and Google. Oracle claims Google illegally incorporated parts of that Java language to develop its popular Android smartphone operating system.
Reports say Android remains the world’s best-selling smartphone platform. Oracle had originally sued Google in 2010, but a federal judge found that Oracle could not claim copyright protection over the Java language.
The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington disagreed, however. In the three-judge panel’s decision, Federal Circuit Judge Kathleen O’Malley explained that the judges “conclude that a set of commands to instruct a computer to carry out desired operations may contain expression that is eligible for copyright protection.”
The case has increased in profile since its 2010 filing, reports say, not only because of testimony given in 2012 by high-level executives from Google and Oracle, but also because the panel has now ordered a new look at whether Oracle can obtain damages or whether Google’s use of the technology was protected under fair use, according to reports.
Full content: Reuters
Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.
Featured News
Lawmaker Probes FTC and EU’s Role in Amazon’s Failed iRobot Acquisition
May 2, 2024 by
CPI
FTC to Approve Exxon’s $64 Billion Deal with Pioneer Resources, Excludes
May 1, 2024 by
CPI
UK Competition Watchdog Raises Alarm Over Nvidia’s ARM Takeover
May 1, 2024 by
CPI
Sen. Klobuchar Urges Regulators to Probe Collusion in Healthcare Pricing
May 1, 2024 by
CPI
Multiple States Join Tennessee’s Antitrust Lawsuit Against NCAA Over NIL Rules
May 1, 2024 by
CPI
Antitrust Mix by CPI
Antitrust Chronicle® – Economics of Criminal Antitrust
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Navigating Economic Expert Work in Criminal Antitrust Litigation
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
The Increased Importance of Economics in Cartel Cases
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
A Law and Economics Analysis of the Antitrust Treatment of Physician Collective Price Agreements
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Information Exchange In Criminal Antitrust Cases: How Economic Testimony Can Tip The Scales
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI